Mail-marking apparatus



Oct. 22, 1929. ZAHN AL 1,732,425

HAIL MARKING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Oct 22, 1929. -L. J. ZAHN ET AL HAIL MARKING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, 1929 STATES! PATENT" OFFICE:

LAWRENCE J.

BROOKLYN NEW YORK ZAHN; on LONG ISLAND eITY; Ann MELCHIOR sonnonnnn, on New YORK; N in, essrenons: T0 INTERNATIONAL- ,ros'mn MAIDMARKING APPARATUS Application filed March 13, 1928: serial no; 261,233.

This" invention relates to improvements in a machine utilizing a die' for stamping Inmach'ines of the class above referred to, the mail matter is first deposited on a feed table and after being separated by hand or some mechanical means constituting a part of the machine, it is brought by suitable feedrollers into cooperative position with the die used for canceling the stamp or making other'indicia on the" en velope' or the like;

Heretofore it has been the practice onsuch machines to rely on the feed rollers for passing the plece's of mail matter forward so" as to actuate the trip mechanisnr for bringing the die" into action and for moving the mailmatterbettveen the die-and the pressure roller'associated With the die.

Itis the object of our presentinvention to improve the means forguidingand'passingthe mail matterbetweenthe'pressure roller and the die-whereby a more positive passage of the mail matter through the chine can be secured. Other ancillary ob jects will be apparent to one skilled'in this" particularart after a studyof' the specification in connectlon With the annexed drawing s wherenr- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form" of machine whiclrwe have takento illustrate the application of our invention.

Figure 2 isasectional view through the die" and its cooperating. pressure roller;

Figure 3' is a'section on a line3--3 of Figure 2; V

Figure 4 is a view of" the clutch portion of the die structure taken at right" angles to the View shown in; Figure 2 and with ccrtaiuof the parts broken away'to show the interior con'struction. Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of means fonho'lding'the' co n bined clutch cover and pulley in position.

Referring now to the details wherein like in the different views:

1 is thejbase ofa sinall chine'which for the sake of simplicity, We have chosen toshoivhow our invention may be utilized; Such' nachinesare especially suited for use ,in sniaill post, offices, but in larger postoflicc's the machines are driven by a sinallin'otor, and it is ofcourse undernumbers' refer to the corresponding parts hand-power niastood that our invention is applicable to any such machines or othermachines Wherein the, improved; arrangement maybe found useful. Basel carriesaframework Q and awlie'e'l 3supported on shaft 4, which Wheel is adapted tobe operated by hand; "he feed tablefi has a feed roller 6, for feeding tlieniail matter forvvardftothe. separator roller 7 Whiclr operates through aslot in a guard 8 The position of the separator roller-f 7" isadjusted by means ofadjusti-ngf nut 91" Theusual tri p feed rollers 10, and 11 areprovided; also a trip lever 12 which actuates a stop arrnIB carrying a s-toproller 14:, The 'stopfrollerl t engage a correspondiiigroller ltionapOrtiori'Of the die structure 1 7.

The die shaft"18hasif'51bearings'on a gear p1latef19a11d'a trip postQO. Associated with the die is an'ink roller 21 carriedby an adjustable bracket 22. Positioned adjacent the die is a pressure roller 23, thesu'rtace of which isusually o'f'soft' rubber for the purpose of making good frictional contact with the mail matter? It further information is needed as tothe operation or thesepa'rts, this 111a, issued 11, 1907,

Associated with the machine is a' stacker Qattor receivingthe letters after theyhave been stamped bythe die on passage between the "die and the pressure roller.

Our ilnp'roi ernenjt resides particularly in the combination and cooperation between the pressure roller-"23 and] the die 17 and will be surrLY COMPANY, or

be found in Jahn Patent 856,345,"

I machine. The shaft 18 is continuously driven when the machine is in operation by a gear 29. Positioned on the shaft or spindle 18 is a clutch cup having a hub 31 extending downward and fastened to the shaft 18 as by a pin 32.

Positioned. within the cup is a disc 33 which is fastened to the cup 30 by a pin 34. At opposite points in thewalls of the cup member 30 there isa slot for receiving arms 35 and 36. The lower ends of these arms are carried on a pin 37 which passes through a slot 38 in the hub 31. The upper ends of thearms 35 and 36 are bent over as indicated by 39 to engage a disc 40 between which and the bottom 33 of the cup, is positioned a plate 41, two surfacesof which are engaged by discs 42 of friction material such as cork. The members 33 to 42 inclusive, comprise the clutch members, within cup member. 30.

The shaft 18 is positioned within a hollow spindle 43 on which the die 17 is securely fastened.. The lower end of the spindle 43 is formed so as to provide a pair of keys 44 which drivingly engage cooperating grooves in the plate 41, thereby giving a driving conne'ction between the plate 41 and the die. By this arrangement it will be observed that the die structure ma be easily withdrawn and a die bearing a difierent indicia, quickly inserted in place.

' The shaft 18 is hollow and carries-within the hollow portion, a pin 45 and a spring 46, the tension of which may be adjusted by an adjusting screw 47 which is held in adjusted position by a lock nut 48, 49 being a bushing carried'in the member 20 and supporting the upper end of theshaft 18.

It will be apparent from what has been said and by reference to Figure 2, that adj ust-' ing screw 47 regulates the tension of the clutch members through the medium of the pin 37 ,thearms 35 and 36,'the disc 40, plate 41, and friction members 42. The spindle 43 carries a gear 50 which is used to operate a register or counter for registering or counting the number of pieces of mail which are stamped by the die. I

Positionedover the cup member 30, is a casing'51, which is also in the. form of a cupsh'aped member having a rim portion 52 adj acent the base part of the cup, formed so as to provide a pulley surface for continuously engaging the pressure roller 23. The casing 51 as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, is fastened I'to the cup member 30 by a push fit, but any other satisfactory attachment means may be provided,such as is indicated in Figure 5, wherethe bottom of the cup member 30 is bored out and carries a pin 53 and a spring 54, which tends normally to push the pin 53 outward into a hole in the casing 51.

The pin 53 may be released from engaging the casing 51by another pin 55 operating in a slot in the bottom of the member 30.

Heretofore it has been necessary to provide a stop and suitable adjusting means for the pressure roller 23, but in our present arrangement this roller is being pressed continually against the pulley surface 52 of the clutch cover which acts as a continual stop for the pressure roller 23 and with it, serves to catch the forward end of the letters or mail matter as these pieces are passed forward by the feed rollers 10 and 11, and since the combination clutch cover and pulley and pressure roller are in continual rotation, material assistance is given toward quickly and accurately passing the mail matter by the die.

We believe we are the first to discover the advantages of making the clutch cover serve additional functions than that of merely as a cover, by utilizing it as a stop for the pressure roller and also forming with the pressure roller a supplemental pair of feed rollers; also we cause the pressure roller to act in a dual function, first as a pressure roller for the die, and secondly as a feed roller in association with a clutch member. We desire therefore,to cover this arrangement in its broadest terms.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

"1. For an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pres sure roller; a driving member and clutch elements forming a driving connection between the driving member and the die and a casing for said clutch elements and rotatable therewith; said casing having at least a part of its outer surface formed into a pulley surface for engagement with said pressure roller for the purposes described.

2. For an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pres sure roller; a driving member and clutch elements forming a driving connection between the driving member and the die and a. casing for said clutch elements and rotatable therewith, said casing having at least a part of its outer surface formed into a pulley surface having substantially the same diameter as the die and in continuous engagement with said pressure roller for the purposes described.

3.. For an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pressure roller; a driving member and clutch elements forming a driving connection between the driving member and the die, means for utilizing the pressure roller also as a feed roller. said means consisting of a casing for said clutch elements having at least a part of its outer surface formed to engage the pressure roller thereby forming with the same a pair of feed rollers to assist in moving the mail matter by the die.

4. For an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die tor cooperation with the pressure roller; a driving member and clutch elements forming a driving connection between the driving member and the die, means for obtaining a supplemental feed roller having the same rotatable axis as the die and to cooperate with the pressure rolle to form a feed right at the die, said means consisting oi a casing fitting over and rotatably held to a driving element of said clutch, the casing having at least a part of its surface formed into a pulley for continuous engagement With the pressure roller.

For an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pressure roller; a driving nember and clutch elements forming a driving connection between the driving member and the die, means for obtaining a supplemental guide and -feeding action having its operative surface in the same plane as the cooperating surfaces between the die and pressure roller, said means including a casing for said clutch elements, the casing having a driving connection With one of the driving elements of the clutch and further having at least a part of its outer surface substantially the same diameter as the die and formed to engage the pressure roller below that part engaged by the die.

(3. For an apparatus of the class described having rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pressure roller; a driving member and clutch elements forming a driving connection between the driving member and the die, n eans for obtaining a dual function -from the pressure roller and the clutch, said means consisting in providing the clutch with a cupsl ed casing having a drivin engagement with a driving elei'nent of the clutch and having a pulley surface on at least a part of its outer periphery for engagement with the lower part of the pressure roller to there by iori'n a pair of extra feed rollers.

7. For an apparatus of the class described ha 'ing a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pressure roller; a driving member and clutch elements forming a driving connection be tween the driving member and the die, and a casing for said clutch elements, said casing having a releasable driving connection With a driving element of the clutch and also having at least a part of its outer periphery {formed into a pulley surface to engage the pressure roller thereby establishing a pair of supplemental guide and feed rollers havtheir cooperative surfaces substantially the same plane as the cooperative surfaces between the pressure roller and die.

8. For an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and. a printing die for cooperation with the pres our e roller; a driving memberand clutch ele ments lorming a driving connection between the driving member and the die, said clutch elements including two cup-shaped members one witl iin the other, the inner one having certain other clutch elements housed Within it, while the outer one is operatively fastened to the inner cup and has at least a part of its surface substantially the diameter of the die and arranged to engage the lower part of said pressure roller forming therewith a Sllfgplulllfillltll pair Oil feed rollers rm.- the purposes d scribed.

F or an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pre :aire roller; a driving member and clutch elements to ing a driving connection between the driving member, and the die, and a casing for said clutch elements having a driving connection with a driving element of the clutch, said casing having at least a part in contact with the pressure roller and acti a stop therelor as Well as forming therev 'th a supplemental pair of feed rollers.

10. For an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pressure roller; a driving shalt, a hollow spindle positioned over the shaft and carrying the die clutch elements forming a driving connection between the driving shaft and said die spindle, said driving connection including; a clutch plate having at least one key- Way therein and a key formed on the end of said die spindle to fit said keyvvay whereby the die may be readily removed from the shaft; said clutch elements all being positioncd around the shaft below the die, and a casing for enclosing all of said clutch (-BlGl'l'lQl'llTS, said casing having at least a part of its outer surface formed into pulley surface tor engagement with said pressure roller for the purposes described.

11. For an apparatus of the class described having a rotatable pressure roller and a printing die for cooperation with the pressure roller; a driving shaft, a hollow spindle positioned over the shaft and carrying the die, said spindle having one end extending below the die and terminating in slidable locking means, clutch elements forming a driving connection between the driving shaft and said die spindle, said driving connection including; a clutch plate having means for completing a slidable lock with said spindle slidable locking means whereby the die and its spindle nay be readily removed from the shaft and clutch elements, said clutch elements all being positioned below the die, and a casing for enclosing all of said clutch elements, said casing lnwing at least a part of its outer surface termed into a pulley surface for engagement with said pressure roller for the purposes described.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a driving shaft, a hollow spindle positioned over said shaft for easy removal therefrom, a die mounted on said spindle for rotation therewith, said spindle extending below the die and terminating in slidable locking means, a clutch plate fitting over and cooperating With said locking means to be rotated thereby, friction elements on both sides of said clutch plate, means including parts carried by and rotatable with the shaft for applying pressure to said friction elements, and a casing enclosing all of said clutch parts, said casing having at least apart of its outer surface formed into a pulley surface, and a pressure roller having at least a part of its outer surface normally held in engagement- With, said casing pulley surface.

In testimony whereof, We affix our signatures.

LAWRENCE J. ZAHN. MELCHIOR SCHROEDER. 

